Top 14 – Toulouse, La Rochelle’s pet peeve: serial proof
2nd day of the Top 14 2020-2021: the Kolbe festival
Toulouse-La Rochelle: 39-23
And to say that the South African world champion, victim of a muscular alert a week earlier in Clermont, was uncertain! On September 12, 2020, Cheslin Kolbe single-handedly dynamited the La Rochelle defense. First by scoring the first try of the match, almost walking, on an offering from Ramos (11th), then by carrying out a festival of accelerations, hooks and changes of support to put Rhule, West and Leyds and flatten the ball in the in-goal a second time (34th).
Cheslin Kolbe had put Toulouse on the path to authoritarian success. (N. Luttiau/The Team)
Leyds, compatriot son and former Stormers teammate, bows: “It was the first time I played against him and I prefer when he is with me. When he’s like that, he’s untouchable! » Like Toulouse that day, with a Thomas Ramos at 9/10 on foot.
15th day of the Top 14 2020-2021: Toulouse brings down Deflandre
La Rochelle-Toulouse (11-14)
Undefeated on their home ground since March 2019, Stade La Rochelle intends to follow up, on February 27, 2021, a 21st victory at home to stay at the top of the Championship. Faced with weakened Toulousains during the doubling period (Dupont, Baille, Marchand, Ramos, Ntamack, Cros, Guitoune and Aldegheri are absent), the Rochelais dominate the debates and lead 8-0 at the break, thanks to a try from Botia.
Yoann Huget scores the try that weighs down La Rochelle. (N. Luttiau/The Team)
But the Toulouse, with Kolbe at the opening, cling, manage to slow down the rucks of La Rochelle, to gradually get their hands on the ball and to nibble their delay. In the 69th, Skelton takes a yellow and Toulouse takes the opportunity to pass five minutes from the siren on a try from Yoann Huget. Ugo Mola’s team regains first place in the Top 14 at the expense of their opponent.
2020-21 Champions Cup Final: Five stars to zero
Toulouse-La Rochelle: 22-17
This final is brutal! The meeting does not reach the heights in terms of play, this May 22, 2021, but what a fight between Toulousains who came to win their fifth star and Rochelais ambitious to make history. Jono Gibbes’ players will want to train their opponent in the physical challenge, their strong point and Dupont and his band will take it up. The shocks are aggressive, the fight fierce and Botia is sent off in the 28th minute for a dangerous tackle on Médard. At 14, the Rochelais still lead at the break (12-9). From experience, Toulouse remains lucid, garners the points with a 6/6 from Ntamack on foot when West leaves eight points on the way. Enough to win despite Kerr-Barlow’s hopeful try too late (73rd).
Final of the Top 14 2020-2021: the double blade
Toulouse-La Rochelle: 18-8
On June 25, 2021, we take the same ones and start again. And this time again, the meeting is closed in a double turn between two teams who do not want to give up any space to their opponent. In these cases, salvation often comes from the foot. The Toulousains who have not registered the slightest drop of the season slam two by Ramos and Kolbe, each time in the wake of a missed opportunity at La Rochelle. A few seconds after a new demonstration of the feverishness of West which misses a vulnerability, Thomas Ramos plants a drop. Then on a penal touch in the 22 Toulouse harvested by the Rochelais, Kolbe demonstrates that if he did not ask for the legs that evening to make the difference, he has the foot and succeeds in a fifty-meter drop just before the break to give a comfortable lead to ST (12-0). La Rochelle missed out despite a late try from Priso and let his pet peeve, a cold, realistic and clinical beast, get a 21st Brennus.
1st day of the Top 14 2021-2022: the feat of Ntamack
La Rochelle-Toulouse: 16-20
La Rochelle supporters invaded Deflandre for the opening of the championship on September 5, 2021. They are witnessing their revenge after the double disappointment at the end of the season. And pushed by the stadium, the players of Ronan O’Gara, who took a header from the team, made the ideal start by stifling their opponent with penalty touches and challenges from the forwards until Favre ended up flattening ( 18th). Toulouse is accumulated and makes the round back but only one point behind at the break. Fans are worried about a scenario that looks like deja vu. They are right. Skelton is expelled and Toulouse will not give up the opportunity thanks to a feat by Romain Ntamack who had been deprived of the Top 14 final after a shock in the semis. Sixty meters from the opponent’s in-goal, on a scrum driven by Dupont, the international opener recovers the ball and places an acceleration which leaves Buliruarua on the spot and takes the hole. There is still half the field to go but Ntamack steals, resists returns and scores the try which allows his team to pass in front at the best time (66th). Romain Sazy is disgusted: “We are not doing things in order to outrun them and secure the match”.
2021-22 Top 14 matchday 24: Dulin up and down
Toulouse-La Rochelle: 23-16
At kick-off, on April 30, the Toulousans have no choice after having difficultly crossed the period of doubles. If they want to return to the Top 6, they have to beat Les Rochelais. Ugo Mola can count on the return of the Grand Slam winners, eight out of ten of whom are holders. But it was La Rochelle who attacked flat out with a try from Brice Dulin in the 4th minute. Toulouse’s reaction was almost immediate: Antoine Dupont against a clearance from Dulin and flattened in stride (6th). The unfortunate rear, dried up on a tackle from Elstadt, even had to leave his place less than ten minutes later. For Maxime Médard, who announced his retirement at the end of the season this week, the Toulouse team won and found themselves in the Top 6.